The Great Anchor

Family is The Great Anchor, dropped in a place between fortitude and repose. It transcends distance and time, creating an infinite binding. Hate or love, but never indifference. They leave us and cause us heartache or they stay and cause us grief, whichever case applies to you, you know that beyond the lore there lies a certainty and link. It is the one thing we all share; no matter what kind of family you come from you can't escape it, nor can they escape you. I have seen families, perfectly comprised of bright summer vacations and unified meals at the dinner table. I used to be envious. Many times have I tried to direct myself on a different path, leading me away from where I came. I had this idea in my head about what I didn't want to be and I used that as my guide. I would think, 'I'm going to have a bigger, better house. I'm going to have a good marriage and never argue in front of my children.' I was naïve to think parents were anything more than human. They raised me with abounding affection however, disillusioned at an early age, I developed resentment. As I grow older I see the strength in them that I have never seen in any other person. I can never blame them for my occasional bouts of anger and sadness though they are often the cause. I can never blame them because everything they have ever done has contributed to who I am. I cannot doubt the pride they take in me, or the esteem they've taught me to have for myself. This is priceless, and cannot be diminished by any amount of heartache or grief. I believe one of the greatest challenges in life is to wholeheartedly care for others and put them before yourself. I'm still learning and striving for this, but I've been blessed with having received it my entire life. My hope is that one day I can do as good a job raising my own family, as mine did raising me.